The Weakest of Hearts
by OniNoKo
Summary: [One-shot] AU: The happiest and saddest day in the life of Jack Frost.


**Hellowww, my lovely readers! :)**

**After I published my one-shot "Behind Frosted Doors," some of you asked me to write another one. So, here it is...**

**The plot bunny for this story came to me, when I was reading Ch. 5 of "Lyrics of the heart " by WickedgreenPhantom and it was one of these that just wouldn't leave me alone. So, I sat down and wrote it. Initially, it was supposed to be a short, innocent one-shot, but it somehow turned into a 7000-word megalodon with a fully developed plot xD**

**Anyway, before you start reading I would like to say that this fic is my heart's revenge on Arialene for her story "Say Something". Go read it, if you haven't, and you'll understand what I mean.  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters or their respective stories. **

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**THE WEAKEST OF HEARTS**

Jack opened his eyes and groaned closing them again, when the offensive sunlight coming thought the living room window blinded him. He covered his face with his arm and stayed like that for a short while before he decided it was time to get up. He took a deep breath, pushed the blanket aside and sat up. He stretched, groaning softly, rubbing the back of his stiff neck. He'd thought that after all this time he would have gotten used to sleeping on the couch, but it was still just as uncomfortable as ever. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and buried his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes. Slowly he lifted his head to look out the window. The sun was shining brightly, lighting up the whole room. He could see the leaves of the trees moving with the gentle summer breeze. He could hear birds singing. It was shaping up to be a very nice day.

Turning his head around, Jack directed his attention to the small lamp table on the side of the couch. There, next to the lamp, was a simple picture frame holding the photo of a beautiful woman. She was wearing a strapless blue, summery dress and she was sitting on the grass with her legs folded next to her. Her long, platinum blonde hair was put in a loose braid, draped over her shoulder. She was smiling brightly.

Jack reached out, took the picture frame and looked at it for a few long moments before he traced his fingertips gingerly over the woman's face.

* * *

_Jack smiled widely, when he saw her entering the restaurant, and stood up, as she approached him. _

"_Hi there, beautiful!" he greeted her and kissed her softly on the cheek. _

"_Hey…" she replied, without really looking at him, and sat down on the chair he'd pulled out for her. _

_He followed suit, sitting in his own spot across the table, and looked at her. She was staring at the table cloth, refusing to lift up her eyes, and fidgeted nervously with her napkin. Something was off. He was just about to ask her if she was feeling alright, when the waiter came by to give them menus and list the day's specials. Jack studied the menu for a few seconds before Elsa sighed and put down hers on the table. He looked up at her – she was biting her lip nervously, still staring down. _

_He closed his menu, set it down and reached to take her hand in his. "Elsa, is something wrong?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. _

_She took a deep breath and pulled her hand out of his hold. "We need to talk…"_

_Jack's heart sank. This didn't sound good and he wasn't sure he wanted to hear what was about to come next._

_Elsa took a deep breath and, finally looking up at him, opened her mouth to speak again. "We should split up," she said matter-of-factly. _

_Jack stared at her in shock. He felt his breath get caught in his throat. His heart started beating hard against his chest. He gulped, as he leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair, looking down at the table._

"_I'm sorry…" he heard her whisper and looked up at her again. _

_He tried to read her expression, but he couldn't. Either she was trying her best not to show him how she felt, or she really wasn't feeling anything at all._

"_Why…?" he managed. "Have I done something wrong? If I have, then tell me what it is and I'll try to fix it to the best of my ability!" he said straightening up, reaching to take her hand again, but she pulled away. Seeing this broke his heart. "Elsa, please…"_

"_You haven't done anything wrong," she replied, as she stood up. "The problem is in me."_

"_Elsa…"_

"_I'm sorry, Jack," she whispered and with one last look at him she turned around and hurried out. _

_Jack frowned. He couldn't understand what had gotten into her. He'd thought they were perfectly happy together. He couldn't grasp this sudden change in her attitude and he also refused to accept it. He didn't know what was wrong, but one thing was for sure – he wasn't going to let the woman of his dreams run away from him just like that. With this thought he pushed his chair back and chased after her. _

"_Elsa!" he yelled once he was out of the restaurant. _

_She didn't stop or turn around. Instead, she picked up her pace causing Jack to run after her. Once he caught up with her, he grabbed her by the elbow and spun her around. His eyes widened – she was crying. Something felt very wrong about this situation and he needed to know what. _

"_Let me go, Jack!" she said and yanked her arm out of his grip. _

_She turned around to walk away but he stopped her once more. She tried to pull away again, but this time he wouldn't release her._

"_If you're gonna break up with me, at least have the decency to explain to me why!" he said angrily and looked at her intently. _

_Elsa looked back at him, tears still streaming down her face. "I didn't lie to you, when I said the problem is in me," she cried._

_She was obviously distraught and saying these things to him was just as painful for her as it was for him to hear them. His features softened a little, as he finally let go of her arm and waited for her to continue. _

"_Jack," Elsa said softly. "There's something about me you don't know…" _

_He looked at her confused. "I know we haven't been together for very long, but… You're not that hard to figure out, you know," he replied and tried to smile at her but Elsa just shook her head in sorrow._

_She looked around and, seeing a bench nearby, she took Jack by the hand and led him to sit down. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, until she looked up at him and spoke again. _

"_Jack, I…" she stared and she felt her eyes welling up. "I have a very serious heart condition."_

_Jack's heart skipped a beat and he stared at her in disbelief. He felt sick to his stomach. This couldn't be happening… Surely she was just pulling a prank on him or something. "You… You're joking, right?" he said, praying she started laughing and told him she was just messing with him. _

_Instead she shook her head. _

_He looked away running a hand through his hair, struggling to sort things out in his head. "Why didn't you tell me?" _

"_I'm sorry, Jack! I know I shouldn't have kept it a secret all this time… It's just that…" she stuttered, looking down at her feet, trying to fight the tears. _

"_Did you think that I would leave you?" he asked slowly, causing her head to snap up._

"_No! No, that's not it!" she replied, vigorously shaking her head._

"_Then what is it? Why didn't you tell me, Elsa?"_

_She took a deep shaky breath and looked at him for a second, before finally gathering enough courage to speak. "When I was born, the doctors told my parents that I probably wouldn't live past the age of twelve. They told them to prepare themselves for the worst. So, when I turned thirteen, then fourteen, then fifteen, everybody started relaxing a little. My parents thought that perhaps the doctors were wrong… that I'd beaten the odds and that maybe I was stronger than they had thought…"_

"_And aren't you?" Jack asked, his expression somehow calmer and more relaxed now. "You _are_ still here."_

"_You don't understand, Jack," she said. "I wasn't meant to live that long. And I've spent my whole life expecting each breath to be my last. I've never gotten attached to anyone, because I didn't want anyone to get attached to me… I didn't want anyone to get hurt because of me," she cried and paused for a moment. "I never intended to stay with you either. But I couldn't help myself, you're just so wonderful! I just wanted to stay with you for a little longer, because you've made me so happy…" She laughed bitterly. "And now I need to end it, before it's too late." _

"_Too late for what?" Jack asked. "As far as I'm concerned, you're still here, alive. That's all that matters to me."_

"_Jack, I'm living on borrowed time. I don't know how much longer I have left and I don't want you to get hurt. It's better if we separate and forget we've ever met. You'll be able to move on and… find somebody else, somebody healthy," Elsa said quietly and looked down, trying to hide her tears._

"_Hey…" Jack whispered, as he caught her chin between his thumb and index finger and tilted it, so that she looks at him. "People die all the time, healthy or not. Nobody knows what's going to happen to them tomorrow. I mean, somebody perfectly healthy might think they're gonna live till they're a hundred-twenty and they get hit by a bus the next day." Elsa smiled a little at this last part, which encouraged him to go on. "What I want to say is that nobody knows what's ahead of them, so they have to live their lives hoping for the best, enjoying every moment. And that's the beauty of life, Elsa." He paused for a moment and studied her features. Her tears had ceased. "You don't know how long you're gonna live. The doctors have said not more than twelve and yet here you are at twenty-four, standing in front of me in all your beauty. You shouldn't waste the time you have left waiting to die. Instead, you should celebrate every day and try to enjoy life as much as possible. You shouldn't run away from people, so that they're not sad, when you're gone. Instead, you should meet as many people as you can and give them a chance to get to know you. You should leave a mark in their hearts. You should leave behind something to be remembered by…"_

_She looked back at him, contemplating his words. Jack smiled at her. _

"_Besides, I don't want anybody else," he said and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "With or without a heart condition, I love you and I want to be with you, even if that means that every night I'll kiss you knowing that kiss could be the last."_

* * *

Jack sighed deeply and returned the photo to its place on the small table. He'd expected it to become easier as time passed, but it just never did. And today it felt even harder, because today was the happiest and the saddest day in his life.

He stood up from the couch and slowly made his way towards the bathroom. He turned the water on and bent over the sink to splash his face. Then he straightened up, taking a towel from the hanger on the wall, and wiped the water off. He lowered the towel from his face and looked at himself in the mirror. Something shiny caught his attention and he looked down at his hand.

* * *

_Jack parked the car and went out, walking over to the passenger side to open the door for Elsa. _

"_Where have you brought me, Jack?" she asked, looking around, as he held his hand out to her and helped her get out of the car. _

"_You'll see in a minute," he replied and locked the car. "First things first, come here" he said and took out a long cloth out of his pocket. She looked at him curiously and made a step towards him. He smiled at her and turned her around, placing the soft cloth over her eyes and tying it gently in the back. He moved to stand in front of her and waved his hand in front of her face, making sure she couldn't see anything. "Okay," he said finally and took her by the hand. "Now, we're ready to go."_

_He slowly led down a path, making sure she didn't trip. A couple of minutes later they arrived at their destination and Jack stopped. He let go of Elsa's hand and reached up, carefully removing the blindfold. He watched, as her eyes fluttered open and she looked around only to gasp in delight, bringing her small delicate hands to cover her mouth, as she looked around. They were standing on a sort of a balcony, situated on the edge of a cliff, surrounded by bushes of blooming red roses and the sound of waves splashing against the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. The sun had just started setting, casting its golden rays all around them, making everything even more magical than it already was. Elsa leaned on the railing of the balcony and gazed at the waves, glistering with the light of the setting sun. _

"_Oh Jack, it's so wonderful!" she exclaimed and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, exhaling with content, before she looked back at him, a dazzling smile gracing her lips._

_Jack stared at her mesmerized. She was so gorgeous it was almost unreal. He wasn't sure what he'd done to deserve her. She was simply angelic. _

_Suddenly he remembered why he'd brought her there for and felt a nervous feeling spread through his body. He looked away for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. _

"_Is there something wrong, Jack?" she said and his eyes snapped up. _

"_No! No…" he replied and a smile spread across his lips. "It's just that... you're so beautiful," he said and made a step forward, taking her in his arms and pulling her in for a soft kiss. _

_He broke away from the kiss and let go of her, backing away a few steps. _

"_Elsa," he said, feeling the butterflies in his stomach rise again. "There's something I'd like to ask you…" He lowered his head and took a deep breath before he looked up at her again. She stared at him with curiosity. "I… I've been thinking a lot about the perfect way to do this and… in the end I couldn't settle on anything," he said and laughed nervously. He reached his hand in his pocket and took out a small velvety box. "So, I decided to just go ahead and make it simple." With that he dropped down on one knee, earning a gasp from Elsa, who stared at him shocked. He smiled up at her and opened box, revealing its contents to her. "Elsa Andersen, will do you me the honor of becoming my wife?," he said and beamed up at her. _

_Elsa clasped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes darted between his and the ring. He watched as she shook her head slowly and her eyes rimmed with tears. "Jack, I… I'm sorry…"_

_The smile disappeared from his lips and he slowly rose back to his feet. His heart sunk, as he looked down at her. She was crying. _

"_I'm really sorry, Jack. But… I just can't…" she whispered and turned around to go, but Jack grabbed her hand and spun her around, forcing her to look at him again._

"_Why?" he asked, frowning slightly. "Why can't you, Elsa?" _

"_Jack... You know very well why," she replied softly. _

"_No, Elsa, I'm not going to let you use that argument as an excuse," Jack said and his grip on her wrist tightened. "So, if you're going to reject me, you'd better come up with a better reason."_

_She stared at him through tears. He looked back intently, unwilling to let her go. After a few moments he opened his mouth to speak again. _

"_I've said it a million times and I'll say it again – I love you with all my heart and I want to be with you no matter what. I'm not letting you go, Elsa," he said and his expression softened a little. "So, I'm going to ask you again," he continued, as he released her wrist, took out the ring from the box, took her hand again and placed the ring at the tip of her finger. "Will you marry me?"_

_Their eyes met and he could see she was leading an internal battle against herself. He offered her a small smile and gazed at her – his eyes full of hope. A second later she smiled back at him – a big, warm smile filled with love. _

"_Yes!"_

* * *

Jack sighed deeply and shut his eyes tightly, tracing a finger over his wedding band. He opened his eyes again and looked in the mirror, willing himself not to break down.

With another sigh, he made his way out of the bathroom. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 8:30 am. She would be awake soon and he had to make breakfast for her.

* * *

_Jack lied in bed with Elsa resting her head on his bare chest. He was gently running his fingers though her long hair, while she traced small patterns on his skin. _

"_Jack," she muttered._

"_Mmm?"_

"_I have something to tell you," she said softly and prompted herself on one elbow to face him. _

_He opened his eyes to look at her. She hesitated for a moment, biting her lower lip, before she spoke again. _

"_I'm pregnant."_

_Jack felt a warm feeling wash over him and smiled widely, taking her in his arms and hugging her tightly._

* * *

Jack smiled and headed towards the kitchen. He opened the fridge, inspecting its contents. He considered the options and took out an egg and the carton of milk. He set them down on the counter and proceeded to take out a bag of flour and a large bowl. He put some of the flour into the bowl, then added the egg and milk, followed by a drop of oil and a pinch of salt.

He had just started mixing the ingredients, when he heard his mobile phone vibrate on the coffee table in the living room. He rushed to pick it up and looked at the caller ID.

"Hey Anna," he answered, his voice a little hoarse. "Yeah, I'm fine… No, Elsa's not up yet but she should be waking up pretty soon… Yeah? What time should we come?... Okay, that's perfect!... Mhm… I'll see you then. Oh, and Anna, thanks a lot… for organizing the party. It means a lot to me."

He hung up returning to the kitchen and continued mixing the contents of the bowl.

* * *

_Elsa sat in her hospital gown with her hand on her stomach, smiling to herself. Jack was standing next to her, one arm wrapped around her waist. He took her free hand and placed a soft kiss on top of it. She gazed at him and smiled. _

_They both looked up, when the doctor walked in. He was looking down at the clipboard he was holding, slightly frowning. _

"_Is there something wrong with the baby, Doctor?" Elsa spoke softly, as she nervously gripped Jack's hand._

_The doctor looked up and stared at them for a second, before he replied. "No, no, the baby is perfectly fine," he said. _

_Jack heard Elsa exhale in relief._

"_However," the doctor attracted their attention again and Jack felt Elsa's grip on his hand tighten. He glanced at her – she looked at him with worry written all over her face. He gave her a warm smile and squeezed her hand reassuringly, before looking back at the man in front of them. "There is something else I am concerned about," he said and stroked his chin. _

"_What's the matter, Doctor?" Jack spoke up, feeling Elsa's anxiety rising. _

_The doctor looked at him, then at Elsa and sighed. "Mrs. Frost," he started. "You are in a very delicate position. Your heart condition is something which cannot be ignored, even though so far you've been doing great," he paused for a moment, when Jack and Elsa exchanged worried looks. Then he took a deep breath and continued. "A pregnancy can be very stressful for the body of even a perfectly healthy woman. There's always a risk something might go wrong, especially when it comes to delivering the baby… and I am afraid that in your situation that can be even riskier."_

_Elsa gasped. Jack glanced down at her and saw her eyes rimming with tears. He tightened his hold on her waist, bringing her closer to him._

"_Do not misunderstand, Mrs. Frost," the doctor said, seeing the young woman's distress. "I am not saying you can't have the baby. I just want you to be fully aware of all the risks. "_

* * *

Jack switched the stove on and placed a pan on top of it. He opened a nearby drawer and shuffled through it until he found the ladle he was looking for. He left it inside the bowl and grabbed the bottle of oil, pouring some onto the pan and spreading it over the surface before taking the ladle and pouring some of the mixture in the pan.

* * *

"_Elsa… you heard what the doctor said," Jack said, following her into the living room._

"_What are you implying, Jack? Are you trying to tell me you don't want this baby?" Elsa asked with a look of disappointment and distrust in her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself. _

"_The day you told you were pregnant was the happiest day of my life. You can't even begin to imagine how much I want this child," he said softly, making a step forward. _

_She continued to look at him with distrust. _

_He sighed. "I just don't want to lose you, Elsa…"_

"_Have you forgotten, Jack?" she said and, when he raised his eyebrows in question, she continued. "You said you want to be with me no matter what. You said you would kiss me every night knowing that might be the last time you __ever _ kiss me." 

"_That's different," he muttered. _

"_How?" Elsa snapped._

_A worried expression crept on his face. The last thing he wanted was to upset her further. But he had to try and reason with her. "This time we have a choice, a choice that might well determine how much longer you stay with me… Please, try to understand."_

_She stared back at him, shaking her head, unable to believe the words coming out of his mouth. He watched as tears started falling down her cheeks. He wanted to go to her and hug her but, in the state she was in now, he knew it would be better to give her space. _

_Elsa looked away and it seemed she was thinking things through. Jack just stood there, a couple of meters away, observing her, not daring to say anything. After a few long moments, she turned to him again. _

"_I do understand, Jack," she said, this time calmly. "I would also like to be with you for as long as possible… given the circumstances. But…" she paused and looked into his eyes. "Once you also told me that I should leave something behind, something to be remembered by," she said, as she lowered her eyes and placed a hand on her stomach, before lifting her head again. "This is what I want to leave behind, Jack."_

* * *

"Daddy…"

Jack turned around and smiled at the sight of the little blonde girl standing at the doorway, barefoot, in her PJs, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Heeeey! Look who woke up!" he exclaimed cheerfully and moved towards her, grabbing a small towel to wipe his hands. He kneeled in front of her and took her in his arms, hugging her tightly. "Happy Birthday, little snowflake!" he said, before he pulled back and pecked her tiny nose.

"Thanks, Daddy!" she replied and gave him a big, happy smile.

He smiled back. "So, what would you like to do today?" he asked, still kneeling in front of her. "Auntie Anna has invited us to go visit after lunch. She has a surprise for you."

"Really!?" the little girl asked excitedly, her sapphire eyes sparkling with delight.

"Mhm," Jack nodded. "But before that we can do anything that you would like."

She looked into the distance, considering her options for a few seconds before looking at him again. "Can we go visit Mommy?" she asked.

Jack's smile faded and his heart clenched into a ball. He looked into his daughter's eyes and sighed, before his features softened and the smile returned to his lips. "Yes, of course, we can," he replied. "But how about some breakfast first? Are you hungry?" She nodded and he stood up. "Okay, then go wash your teeth. I'm making chocolate pancakes."

"Yay!" she exclaimed and hopped out of the kitchen.

He chuckled softly and returned to the stove.

After breakfast, Jack went in the shower. Fifteen minutes later, he made his way down the hallway. He was just about to walk into his office room, when he stopped. He hesitated for a moment, before he made a few steps back and stood in front of a different door. He stared down at the door handle, unsure if he should touch it. In the end, he took a deep breath and opened the door. Once inside, he closed the door and looked around room. He had moved most of his clothes to an improvised wardrobe in his office room and he rarely ever entered the master bedroom anymore. And it seemed as if it was getting harder and harder to do so with every year that passed.

Besides the thick layer of dust covering the furniture, the room was still the same. The items on her makeup desk lay scattered in the way she had left them. The book she had been reading was still on her bed stand together with her reading glasses. Even the bed was in the same messy, undone state they had left it in that day. Jack just couldn't bring himself to change anything.

His eyes trailed over the bed sheets and stopped at the sight of the delicate fabric of her night gown, thrown across her pillow. He sighed and walked to the bed slowly taking the piece of clothing in his hands. He looked at it for a few seconds before he buried his face into the satin and inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent. Jack felt tears sting his eyes, as he pulled back and clutched the night gown to his chest, letting out a ragged breath.

"I miss you so much," he whispered softly and opened his eyes to look at the night gown in his hands.

"Daddy!" the little girl cried in distress and her voice brought him back to reality.

"I'll be right there, sweetheart," he called back and gently laid the piece of fabric back on the bed.

With one last look at the room, he turned around and walked out. When he entered the kids' room, he had to stifle a laugh. His daughter had obviously made a futile attempt to dress herself and had ended up tangled into her blouse, with her head stuck into one of the sleeves and her arm sticking out from where her head should go.

"I'm stuck," she cried, when he kneeled in front of her.

"I can see that," Jack replied chuckling and proceeded to untangle the little girl. Once the blouse was properly on, he helped her put on a colorful pantyhose. "There you go. Now put your skirt on, too. I'll go get ready and we can leave."

He went into his office room and quickly threw on a pair of jeans, a shirt and a casual blazer. He inspected his image in the mirror and ran a hand though his semi-dry hair before he walked out of the room in search for his car keys.

Ten minutes later Jack was standing by the front door, checking his phone while waiting for his daughter.

"Elsie, are you ready?" he called, looking up in the direction of her room.

The little girl stumbled out of her room, holding a hair brush and a hair band up in the air, pouting slightly. He smiled, knowing exactly what she wanted and squatted, taking the brush and the band out of her hands. She turned with her back to him and waited for him to brush her hair and put it in a ponytail.

"There. Now you're even prettier than you were before, little princess, if that's even possible" Jack said and the little girl turned around and beamed at him.

"Thank you, Daddy!" she said and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you!"

He chuckled softly and hugged her back. "I love you too, snowflake!" he pulled away and rose to his feet. "So, are you ready to go now?"

She nodded and he helped her put on her jacket. They were just about to exit the house, when her eyes widened in realization and she spun around, running back to her room. Jack raised an eyebrow and waited for her to return. A few seconds later, she came running back, holding a piece of paper. She smiled at him, as she walked past and headed towards the car. He locked the door and followed her shaking his head a little.

Once he secured her in her child car seat, Jack started the engine and drove off.

* * *

"_Jack…"_

"_Mmmm…"_

"_Jack, wake up."_

"_Five more minutes…"_

"_Jack, wake up! It's time!"_

_His eyes shot open and he turned around to look at Elsa. "It's time!?" he asked, his sleepiness gone in an instant. _

_She nodded and a small smile crept on her lips. _

"_Okay…" he responded smiling back, before he jumped out of bed and went to the other side to help her up too. _

_He quickly changed out of his PJs and grabbed the bag they had already prepared together with a few other essentials and went to load it in the car, leaving Elsa get ready as well. Fifteen minutes later they were on their way to the hospital. Elsa had already called Anna, who was going to meet them directly there. Once they arrived, Elsa was admitted and assigned to a room, where a nurse helped her change into a hospital gown. Not much later, their doctor came by to perform a check up on Elsa. They hooked her up to a machine that would help them observe hers and the baby's heart rates, as the contractions came and went._

_Jack watched the doctor and nurses buzz around his wife and, even though they were smiling, saying everything was alright, he couldn't help the dreadful feeling rising in his chest, as he remembered the doctor's words, when they had first found out Elsa was pregnant. But he tried his best to hide his fears and be strong and supportive of her. _

_Soon the doctor had left, telling them he'll be back later, and a few minutes later Anna had arrived as well. Jack pushed his fears to the back of his mind, as he talked to the two women, trying to make jokes and lighten the mood, knowing that Elsa was also in a lot of pain. He was happy to see she was smiling nonetheless, while she discussed her choices of baby names with Anna. But as the time passed and her contractions got stronger, he couldn't help but notice her heart was beating in very irregular patterns. The doctor had come by a few times to check up on Elsa and had inspected the results from the machine, assuring them that everything looked normal provided Elsa's condition. But Jack knew he would be able to relax only after she had given birth and he was holding her and their child safely in his arms. _

_Another hour later the doctor informed them Elsa was ready to be taken to the delivery room. Jack insisted he went in with her but they wouldn't let him. Noticing his worried expression, Elsa took his hand._

"_Jack," she said softly, attracting his attention._

_He looked down at her and gave her hand a squeeze. _

"_Everything is going to be alright, I promise you," she continued and smiled warmly at him, as she reached up to caress his cheek with her free hand. "I love you!"_

_Jack closed his eyes for a moment, leaning into her touch, and took a deep breath before he leaned down to kiss her lips. He pulled away and looked her in the eyes again. "I love you too, my beautiful snowflake," he whispered back._

_He watched, as they wheeled her into the delivery room, with Anna by his side. She put her hand on his arm and offered him a reassuring smile. He smiled back, trying to look composed, but in reality fear was eating through him on the inside. _

_The long excruciating wait had begun. Jack paced nervously in circles outside the delivery room, unable to suppress his anxiety, as the minutes ticked away. He didn't know how much time had passed, when the doctor finally came out. Both Jack and Anna immediately directed their attention to him, waiting for him to give them any kind of news. Jack felt as if his heart was going to spring out of his chest. _

"_Congratulations! You have a healthy little girl!" he announced and smiled to them. _

_Jack heard Anna squeal in delight and with the corner of his eye saw her bounce a little. But he didn't react; he couldn't until he knew Elsa was alright. _

"_Doctor, my wife, Elsa…" he started. "Is she okay?"_

_Jack watched as the smile vanished from the man's face, and dread washed over him. He felt his body go numb, as the doctor opened his mouth to speak. His heart slammed hard against his ribcage, as he listened the man say the words he'd prayed he would never have to hear. He felt a lump in his throat as he struggled to breathe. He ran a hand through his hear, his eyes widened in shock, as he looked around madly, trying to make sense of what he'd just heard. He was gasping for air, as the world around him turned into a blur. The pain was too strong. He was suffocating. He had to get out of there. _

_And that was when Jack turned around and started walking, stumbling, as he tried to keep his balance. He vaguely heard Anna call after him, but he didn't look back. He just kept on going._

* * *

Jack looked into the rearview mirror, while he was waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

"What's that you're holding?" he asked the little girl in the back seat and turned around to look at her directly.

"A drawing I made for Mommy," she replied.

"Can I see it?"

She shook her head, blushing a little. "I wanna show it to her first."

Jack chuckled and looked back at the road. "Okay, I'll wait."

* * *

_Jack woke up to the sound of somebody banging on the front door. His eyes cracked open and he immediately closed them again, when they came in contact with the bright sunlight coming through the window. He groaned, when he felt the pounding pain in his head. _

"_Jack, open up!" He heard Kristoff's loud voice but he didn't make any effort to move. _

"_Open up! I know you're in there, I can see you through the living room window," Kristoff said again, but seeing as Jack remained motionless on the couch, he sighed. "Listen, I know you're hurting, Jack, I know you're heartbroken, but… you should have come today. You… shouldn't have left her alone..."_

_Jack felt a jolt of sharp pain rip through his heart. He clutched the picture frame he was holding and pressed it tighter to his chest, letting the burning tears run down his face once again._

"_Anna and I are really worried about you, Jack, and we want to help you deal with this in any way we can. We took the baby from the hospital yesterday. She's at home and Anna is taking care of her." There was silence for a moment, before Kristoff spoke again. "She's beautiful, you know… your daughter. She has her mother's eyes."_

* * *

Jack pulled up and went out of the car. He opened the back door and helped his daughter get out as well, before taking her hand and leading her forward.

* * *

"_Jack!" Anna gasped, when she opened the front door. _

"_Anna… I… I'm so sorry…" He stuttered, feeling his eyes well up. "I… I couldn't bear to come… and see Elsa like this…I just couldn't…"_

_She didn't reply. She just threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, as he broke down in tears. She slowly led him inside and waited for him to calm down before she opened her mouth to speak. _

"_Would you like to see her, Jack?" Anna asked softly, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. _

_He looked at her and took a moment to consider her question, before he nodded his head. Anna turned around a gestured to Kristoff, who had been standing there the whole time. He nodded and went out of the room. A couple of minutes later, he returned carrying in his arms a bundle, wrapped in a small blanket. Jack shot to his feet and made a step forward. Kristoff stopped in front him and gave him a warm smile. _

"_I think she wants her dad to finally hold her," he said. _

_Jack looked at him then at Anna, who smiled widely and nodded in encouragement. Reluctantly, he moved a bit forward and took the baby in his arms. He looked down at her and smiled through his tears, as he felt his heart flutter with happiness for the first time in what seemed like forever. _

"_Hi there, little snowflake," he said softly and chuckled, when she opened her eyes to look at him. "I'm here now and I'm never leaving you again." _

"_Jack, she doesn't have a name yet," he heard Anna say and looked up at her. "Do you know how you would like to call her?"_

_He looked down at the child in his arms and contemplated for a moment. "Elsa," he replied and bent down to press a gentle kiss on his daughter's forehead._

* * *

Jack watched the little girl explain in great detail her newest experiences from kindergarten to the beautiful woman in front of her. His curiosity took over, when she took out the piece of paper from her pocket and opened it proudly.

"Now that you've shown your drawing to Mommy, can I see it too?" he asked, kneeling next to his daughter.

"Yes," she replied and handed him the piece of paper.

He opened it and smiled at the crudely drawn picture. It was a drawing of a house with a garden, on the background of a blue sky, and three stick figures standing in the middle of it.

"This is me," the little girl pointed at the slightly shorter stick figure and Jack's smile grew wider. "This is you, Daddy, and this is Mommy."

"And what is this on Mommy's back?" he asked, pointing at the strange attachment one of the stick figures had.

"Those are wings," she answered. "Because Mommy is an angel."

Jack felt sadness grip on his heart and he rose to his feet, but the smile never left his face.

"She is, isn't she?" He looked down at his daughter, when she slid her hand in his. "The most wonderful of angels," he said and gazed at the delicate white-marble statue at the head of grave.

The statue of the most beautiful woman in the world, the woman Jack Frost loved.

_Elsa Andersen-Frost_

_The one who taught us that the weakest of hearts can often be the bravest._

* * *

**A/N: Please don't hate me for this! *runs away*  
**

**It was WickedgreenPhantom who suggested Jack's daughter is called Elsa, so credit goes to her :)  
**

**I hope that you'll be able to look beyond your broken hearts and be kind enough to leave me a review and I promise the next one-shot I write is gonna be a happy one. I PROMISE! xD**

**Also, for those of you reading my fic "Give It a Chance", I promise you the next thing I write is going to be the new chapter xD**


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